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<td width="343" valign="bottom"><p class="date"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="date" --><a href="default.html">11/21/03 • Vol.
127, No. 38</a><!-- InstanceEndEditable --></p></td>
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<p><a href="fresno.jsp">Fresno State vs. Boise State</a></p>
<p><a href="bulldog.jsp">Bulldogs better bone up or get blown out</a></p>
<p><a href="guys.jsp">Guys with fancy footwork: women's soccer wants
you</a></p>
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<h1>Fresno State vs. Boise State</h1>
<p class="subhead"><strong>Bulldogs</strong></p>
<p> <strong>Quarterbacks</strong></p>
<p> Paul Pinegar turned in his second straight efficient performance last
week against San Jose State, but the sophomore had just 197 yards to
show for it. Fresno State hasn’t seen big numbers from the quarterback
position all season, but it hasn’t seemed to matter when the running
game is clicking. </p>
<p> <strong>Running Backs</strong></p>
<p> The Bulldogs had 311 yards on the ground last week. That type of production
is what keeps the Bulldogs defense off the field and rested. Sophomore
Dwayne Wright had 15 carries for 106 yards to bring his season total
to 838 yards. Senior Rodney Davis has recovered from a slow start,
rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown in the past two games. Sophomore
Bryson
Sumlin leads the team with eight touchdowns.</p>
<p> <strong>Receivers</strong></p>
<p> With Bernard Berrian coming off his most effective game of the season,
Boise State better treat him like the All-American he was in 2001. Berrian
had six catches for 71 yards and a touchdown last week. Friday’s
game would be a perfect time for him to get his first 100-yard game of
the season. Redshirt freshman Paul Williams had his first two career
catches against San Jose State.</p>
<p> <strong>Offensive Line</strong></p>
<p> The young line is coming together at the ideal time for the Bulldogs.
Injuries have harassed this unit, which lost star Logan Mankins and
Matt Stevenson for the season. Sophomore Dartangon Shack left the San
Jose
State game early, but coach Pat Hill said Shack is ready to go this
week.</p>
<p> <strong>Defensive Line</strong></p>
<p> The four starters combine for 18 sacks on the season, led by Brian
Morris’ eight
and Claude Sanders’ five. Donyell Booker leads the group with 35
tackles, including eight for losses. This unit played a major role in
helping the Bulldogs slow San Jose State’s Scott Rislov last week
and has a similar task tonight against Boise State’s Ryan Dinwiddie.</p>
<p> <strong>Linebackers</strong></p>
<p> Bryce McGill is second on the team with 63 tackles. Redshirt freshman
Dwayne Andrews is sixth with 37 tackles. Seniors McGill and Marc Dailey
are the natural leaders of this unit and were both around the last two
times these teams met—both Boise State wins.</p>
<p> <strong>Defensive Backs</strong></p>
<p> Safety James Sanders is coming off his best game of the season—a
12-tackle, two-sack performance. The Bulldogs will miss cornerback Raymond
Washington, who’s out for the season with a hand injury, but young
corners Marcus McCauley and Richard Marshall have played well. </p>
<p> <strong>Special Teams</strong></p>
<p> Kicker Brett Visintainer is 16 for 21 on field goal attempts, 7 of
9 from more than 40 yards away. This game could come down to a last-second
field goal. Punter Mike Lingua averages 38.3 yards per attempt.</p>
<p> <strong>Coaching</strong></p>
<p> Pat Hill’s Bulldogs are 0-2 against Boise State with both losses
coming in the past two seasons. Fresno State beat the Broncos 41-7 in
1996 for former coach Jim Sweeney’s 200th career victory.</p>
<p> <strong>Intangibles</strong></p>
<p> This game is for the WAC title. The Bulldogs have endured two straight
losses to Boise State. In 2001, the Broncos upset the then-No. 8 Bulldogs
and ended their hopes of earning a Bowl Championship Series berth.</p>
<p class="subhead">Broncos</p>
<p> <strong>Quarterbacks</strong></p>
<p> Ryan Dinwiddie is probably the best quarterback the Bulldogs have faced
all season—including Oklahoma’s Jason White. Dinwiddie has
3,054 yards, 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season. He
completes 60.9 percent of his passes. The senior is 310 yards away from
setting a new school record for single-season passing yards.</p>
<p> Edge: Broncos</p>
<p> <strong>Running Backs</strong></p>
<p> The Broncos lost standout running back Brock Forsey to the NFL, but
senior David Mikell has filled in nicely. Mikell has 957 yards and nine
touchdowns
this season. He averages 4.8 yards per carry. </p>
<p> Edge: Bulldogs</p>
<p> <strong>Receivers</strong></p>
<p> Tim Gilligan has 1,000 yards receiving and five touchdowns on the season.
The Bulldogs’ yardage leader is Berrian with 483 yards. The Broncos’ Jerry
Smith has 509 yards on just 26 receptions, an average of 19.6 yards per
catch. The numbers look good for the Broncos, but Fresno State has a
big advantage in depth.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p> <strong>Offensive Line</strong></p>
<p> There aren’t a whole lot of similarities between this line and
Fresno State’s. At least not physically. The Broncos starting five
doesn’t include a single 300-pounder. Right guard Michael Ansel
comes close at 299 pounds. Three Bulldogs starters are 300 pounds or
more. The unit has given up 16 sacks this season, compared to the Bulldogs
15.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p> <strong>Defensive Line</strong></p>
<p> This unit’s leading tackler is senior Dane Oldham with 30. Junior
end Julius Roberts leads the D-line with 3.5 sacks. Oldham, Roberts and
company will have to step up to slow what has become a scary Fresno State
running attack.</p>
<p> Edge: Bulldogs</p>
<p> <strong>Linebackers</strong></p>
<p> Junior Andy Avalos (5-foot-10, 222 pounds) leads the team with 80 tackles.
Redshirt freshman Korey Hall is third on the team with 60 tackles and
2.5 sacks. This unit will have to adapt to several different personnel
groupings used by the Fresno State offense.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p>
<strong>Defensive Backs</strong></p>
<p> Safety Wes Nurse tops the Broncos with four interceptions and is second
with 63 tackles. Corners Gabe Franklin and Julius Brown are a formidable
combination. Brown has three interceptions.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p> <strong>Special Teams</strong></p>
<p> Junior kicker Tyler Jones is 15 of 19 on field goals this season, with
a long of 52 yards. Fresno State is among the best at blocking kicks
and punts with nine blocks this season, but Jones has had just one
kick blocked this season. Freshman punter Kyle Stringer averages 41.4
yards
per punt.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p> <strong>Coaching</strong></p>
<p> Boise State has scored more than 50 points in three straight games.
The Broncos dropped 67 points on the Bulldogs in Boise last season under
coach Dan Hawkins. Dinwiddie threw three touchdown passes in the fourth
quarter despite holding a 40-14 lead after three quarters.</p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
<p> <strong>Intangibles</strong></p>
<p> The Broncos can clinch their second straight WAC championship with
a win tonight. They would also make it three straight against the Bulldogs.
To do it, the Broncos would have to become the first visitors to win
at Bulldog Stadium all season. </p>
<p> Edge: Even</p>
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